Vanishing Paradise : Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion Satellite view of area around proposed mid Barataria diversion Academic researchers and technical consultants have spent countless hours collecting data and modeling the diversion To predict this project s land building potential researchers first sought to understand the river s bottom water flow and sediment content The Mississippi River s sediment the key to rebuilding the delta consists mostly of fine material However in periods of higher flow when the river rushes at a rate of 700 000 cubic feet per second cfs or greater more of the larger heavier sand is carried by the river Though the delta needs both fine material and heavy sand this heavy sand offers the most stable base for a marsh platform This link between river discharge and sand suggests that higher flow diversions best maximize land building by delivering the highest quantity of heavy sediment Potential Land Building With research in hand scientists then created a 3 D model to forecast land building within Barataria Bay Using flow and sediment data researchers compared a 15 000 cfs and 45 000 cfs diversion to measure the differences in land building between diversion sizes Simulating conditions over 25 years the 45 000 cfs diversion deposited 32 million cubic yards of sand four times more than the smaller one This offers a hopeful look at the land building prospects of high flow diversions At the same time actual land building potential could be higher as the model did not include the effects of vegetation the presence of which aids land building by trapping clays and fine silts Mid Barataria land building potential at 15 000cfs and 45 000cfs Preserving Hunting and Fishing for Future Generations Diversions present a new set of challenges and require a thorough knowledge of river flow and sediment transport However with proper

Vanishing Paradise : Stories-gulf : You Could Win The Hodgman Gear Giveaway! Stocking Foot Wader Boots This new product from Hodgman won t be available to the rest of the public until January 15th but you could win them by taking action to help restore the Gulf of Mexico and the Mississippi River Delta Powered by the next generation of sonic seaming technology the Hodgman Aesis Sonic wader utilizes Sonic 2 0 technology creating a double sonic weld folded seam without the use of thousands of stitch holes Each seam is reinforced with waterproof seam tape for the ultimate in leak protection ensuring water stays on the outside of your wader where it belongs Enter to win when you send a message to the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council urging them to use fines from the BP oil spill to restore the Gulf and rebuild its wetlands Take action and qualify to win newer older Search Join VP on Recent Blogs 04 27 16 The Bonnet Carré Provides Plenty of Recreational Opportunities 04 14 16 Register for Conservation on Tap April 20th 04 06 16 Florida Bay A Vision of Paradise in Decline Vanishing Paradise was launched in 2009 by Ducks Unlimited and National Wildlife Federation to advocate for restoration of the

Vanishing Paradise : News & Updates : Join Us In Mississippi For Wildlife Extravaganza! handgrabbing and pellet shooting Kids will get the chance to watch the high flying retrievers enjoy a bounce on the bungee jump and get up close with reptiles and raptors The weekend continues with the 2014 Magnolia Records Big Buck Contest Enjoy demonstrations and contests as well as meet and greets with well known Mississippi outdoorsmen and Outdoor Channel s Eva Shockey Close to 200 exhibitors from all over North America and Canada will be there Come by and gear up for the hunting season at the Mississippi Wildlife Extravaganza and don t forget to stop by the Vanishing Paradise booth to say hello and enter to win an Abu Garcia rod and reel package Friday August 1 3 p m 9 p m Kid s Day free for kids 12 and under Saturday August 2 9 a m 7 p m Sunday August 3 10 a m 5 p m Thank you to those who stopped by our booth We had a great time at the Wildlife Extravaganza this weekend Over 1200 people signed up for the Mississippi Wildlife Federation Camo Coalition and nearly 250 signed postcards to the Governor asking to support restoration projects with the BP funds

Vanishing Paradise : News & Updates : Looking Back, Moving Ahead studies show how the oil disaster s impacts will potentially have serious effects on the gulf ecosystem from zooplankton to amberjack and Blue fin tuna Obviously we haven t seen the end of this disaster It is impossible to declare that the damages have been mitigated or that our wildlife marshes barrier islands and offshore habitat are cleaned up It is crucial that impacted regions of the Gulf implement restoration projects that are based upon the best available science and to spend every single dime of the penalty money from the spill wisely That is our priority The Vanishing Paradise campaign is focused on these goals as we continue our work in all five of the Gulf states In Louisiana that means two things Supporting the implementation of the Louisiana State Master Plan Ensuring the integrity of the financial mechanisms that fill the gaps between Plan Funding and Restoration The moral of the story is that the Gulf is still hurting four years after the largest oil spill in U S history Recovery and restoration are far from complete newer older Search Join VP on Recent Blogs 04 27 16 The Bonnet Carré Provides Plenty of Recreational Opportunities 04 14

Vanishing Paradise : News & Updates : RESTORE Council Releases Initial Gulf Coast Restoration Plan Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council released its Initial Comprehensive Plan Restoring the Gulf Coast s Ecosystem and Economy The coalition of more than 700 national state and local hunting and fishing organizations and businesses that is Vanishing Paradise issued following statement We thank the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council for its efforts toward a comprehensive plan to restore the invaluable Gulf ecosystem home to one of the world s greatest fisheries and incomparable waterfowling opportunities The warm wetlands around the delta provide some seventy percent of our nation s waterfowl with wintering grounds and also serve as an incubator for many species of fish and seafood Louisiana truly lives up to its nickname as Sportsman s Paradise and restoring the Mississippi River Delta is a priority for American sportsmen and women As the Council takes its next crucial step of prioritizing ecosystem restoration projects we encourage them to embrace the Louisiana Coastal Master Plan as its guiding document for restoring the Mississippi River Delta which was ground zero for the 2010 Gulf oil spill The Mississippi River Delta restoration projects in the Coastal Master Plan will create an important cornerstone for Gulf wide ecosystem restoration Since sportsmen and women generate 70 billion a year in revenue and job creation truly restoring the delta will be a critical component to successfully restore the entire Gulf region both ecologically and economically As the Council moves from planning to implementation it should work with Louisiana to achieve the vision set forth in its Coastal Master Plan A vibrant Gulf of Mexico starts with a strong Mississippi River Delta CONTACTS Emily Guidry Schatzel National Wildlife Federation 225 253 9781 schatzele nwf org newer older Search Join VP on Recent Blogs 04 27 16 The Bonnet Carré Provides Plenty of Recreational Opportunities 04 14 16 Register

Vanishing Paradise : News & Updates : What Would Justice For The Gulf Look Like? Macondo well Photo courtesy of the Louisiana Governor s Office It was the first time the fishing guides I had befriended during the spill seemed defeated Until this point they had remained optimistic that the Gulf could survive this onslaught of oil exemplifying the resilience that has come to define the people of coastal Louisiana But today they could not mask their emotions and the anxiety brought about by the thought of losing the resource upon which their livelihoods and their families depended Those of us lucky enough to really know the Gulf recognize that this ecosystem is incredibly resilient Yes there have been natural seeps leaking oil into the deep waters of the Gulf since long before our time Yes there have been countless devastating hurricanes Yes so many of the Gulf s critical coastal wetlands particularly in the delta have been lost But despite it all the Gulf remains full of life and full of fish But I think we need to be honest with ourselves as the charter captains were that day This unprecedented release of 4 9 million barrels of oil plus large amounts of methane and dispersants has caused near term impacts to the fishery coastal habitat and thousands of people s livelihoods It will cause long term damage to the Gulf with the full extent of impacts revealing themselves as the years go by That s the bad news The good news is that the Gulf region has a potential champion in the Department of Justice DOJ It s a pretty simple scenario if DOJ gets it right they will prevent BP from walking away with the bargain basement settlement agreement recent media reports have indicated BP is looking for To understand the crucial role DOJ plays consider the outstanding elements of the case BP still owes billions of dollars in civil penalties under a host of environmental laws such as the Oil Pollution Act Clean Water Act and others The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 introduced following the Exxon Valdez oil spill created the rules for calculating BP s restoration liability If BP paid the same per gallon amount as Exxon did for the Valdez spill the total payment would be in the range of 31 billion This money will be used to clean up the spill and restore the Gulf The Clean Water Act fines will also be significant If DOJ is able to prove that BP was guilty of gross negligence and the agency seems confident in their ability to do just that BP s total fines under this law alone could be in the range of 20 billion Thanks to the recent passage of the RESTORE Act 80 of these Clean Water Act fines will go back to the Gulf States for restoration To be clear BP flagrantly violated both the Clean Water Act and the Oil Pollution Act whatever settlement is reached needs to include robust payments under both these categories The surprisingly good news is the Department of

Vanishing Paradise : Advisory Council : George-cooper links above to find what you need Search Join VP on Recent Blogs 04 27 16 The Bonnet Carré Provides Plenty of Recreational Opportunities 04 14 16 Register for Conservation on Tap April 20th 04 06 16 Florida Bay A Vision of Paradise in Decline Vanishing Paradise was launched in 2009 by Ducks Unlimited and National Wildlife Federation to advocate for restoration of the Mississippi River Delta by nationalizing the